Neuropsychological Assessment
A neuropsychological assessment provides an objective way of characterising cognitive, emotional and behavioural symptoms. This process typically involves completing a number of different cognitive tasks and questionnaires. The process is not painful but it may take a number of hours.
A neuropsychological assessment might involve assessment of:
- Attention and concentration
- Verbal intellectual skills
- Visuospatial/Non-verbal reasoning and problem solving
- Working memory and mental flexibility
- Auditory memory
- Visual memory
- Language
- Processing speed
- Executive function
- Mood and anxiety/stress
- Test score validity
Results of the assessment are typically presented in report format and may also be discussed directly with the patient.
The significance of the findings of the assessment in relation to the referral question, along with a short summary, are briefly summarised at the end of the report.
Neuropsychological Treatment
Where appropriate, treatment is offered to help improve or mitigate the impact of presented cognitive, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Within the Clinical Neuropsychology service this is provided within the framework of a brief goal-focused intervention model. This work involves aspects of cognitive rehabilitation, the implementation of strategies to compensate for cognitive problems and, where appropriate, brief psychological therapy interventions for associated psychological difficulties, typically within a cognitive-behavioural therapy framework.
Comprehensive post-acute multi-disciplinary neuro-rehabilitation, including neuropsychological input and behavioural management approaches, is offered by the Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit and the Head Injury Therapy Unit at Frenchay .